FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH - YEAR A - Gospel (Matthew 2:13-15 & 19-23)

“Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you.” (Mt 2:13)

FIRST READING - Sir 3:2-6, 12-14

"Those who respect their father will live a long life; those who obey the Lord honor their mother."

A reading from the Book of Sirach

² For the Lord sets a father in honor over his children

    and confirms a mother’s authority over her sons.

³ Those who honor their father atone for sins;

⁴     they store up riches who respect their mother.

⁵ Those who honor their father will have joy in their own children,

    and when they pray they are heard.

⁶ Those who respect their father will live a long life;

    those who obey the Lord honor their mother.

¹² My son, be steadfast in honoring your father;

    do not grieve him as long as he lives.

¹³ Even if his mind fails, be considerate of him;

    do not revile him because you are in your prime.

¹⁴ Kindness to a father will not be forgotten;

    it will serve as a sin offering—it will take lasting root.

SECOND READING - Col 3:12-21

"Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus."

A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Colossians

¹² Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, ¹³ bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. ¹⁴ And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. ¹⁵ And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

^18 [a]Wives, be subordinate to your husbands, as is proper in the Lord. ¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives, and avoid any bitterness toward them. ²⁰ Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord. ²¹ Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they may not become discouraged.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Mt 2:13-15, 19-23

"Take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt."

✠From the Gospel according to Matthew

^13 [a]When they had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt,^[b] and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.” ¹⁴ Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. ^15 [c]He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” ¹⁹ When Herod had died, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt ²⁰ and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.”^{[a] 21} He rose, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. ²² But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod,^[b] he was afraid to go back there. And because he had been warned in a dream, he departed for the region of Galilee. ^23 [c]He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, “He shall be called a Nazorean.”

FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS MARY AND JOSEPH - YEAR A - Gospel (Matthew 2:13-15 & 19-23)

Dear people of God,

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Family. Today's Word of God speaks of the Holy Family as an exemplary family for all humanity and for other families to follow in terms of family life.

The Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph are role models for everyone to follow: in obedience to God the Father, and in living according to the instructions given by God.

Through the image of Saint Joseph, when the angel commanded Saint Joseph late at night: “Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt to escape the persecution of King Herod, and to prevent the destruction of God's plan of salvation”.

And how did Saint Joseph carry out God's will?

Saint Joseph is the foster father of Jesus; he is the righteous man chosen and placed by God the Father into His plan.

To accomplish this, Saint Joseph was always faithful and obedient to the will of God the Father in all places and at all times; He did not retreat from the tasks that God the Father instructed: even in the middle of the night, in cold and freezing wind; even when facing difficulties and trials, Saint Joseph remained resolute in his determination to obey and faithfully follow God the Father’s will, to fulfill the duty entrusted by God the Father.

Not only once did Saint Joseph have to flee from the persecution of the earthly King Herod, but he also faced many other trials and difficulties; in all things, Saint Joseph had to rely on God’s strength and power and entrust himself to God’s providence.

Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph collaborated in God's plan of salvation through obedience, meaning: "They did as God commanded!" and through absolute faith and trust in God; thus, when facing trials and difficulties, Saint Joseph and Blessed Mother Mary overcame these obstacles.

God lets all humanity know that the example of the Holy Family is the most absolute example, which God calls upon all humanity to follow, for both of them acted exactly according to what God instructed, and only by following the Word of God will humanity receive eternal life and happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Through the image of Saint Joseph and Blessed Mother Mary, when the angel announced the message that they must take the Child and flee to Egypt, despite facing difficulties, both of them remained determined to obey and follow the command, so that God's plan of salvation has been accomplished: a Jesus of love residing on the Cross, and He has been resurrected.

It is the resurrection of Jesus Christ that brings eternal life to those who faithfully and loyally walk in His path.

Through the image of the Holy Family, God also calls upon everyone to:

• Always know how to value family

• Be faithful to the promises made before God the Father, which are: fidelity in marriage (one husband, one wife), and children must always know how to submit to and honor their parents as God has called; for honoring parents is obedience and reverence for God the Father above all else.

Because parents are the images of God, established to collaborate in the plan of procreation and to build a peaceful, happy world, according to the formation by which God created heaven and earth, all things, and all creatures.

Thanks be to God. Amen.